We’d love to be there to do some fabulous (if we say so ourselves) portrait photography for all of our clients’ children on their first day of school in the Potomac Falls, VA area! Obviously, we’d have to clone ourselves dozens of times over and, while the idea sounds tempting, it’s not entirely possible, yet! However, here’s a great article on some back to school pictures you can take yourself on the big day!

You can snap some creative and candid shots on that first morning of school, but you can also schedule professional pictures with us to capture the idea and spirit of back to school. Check out the great mix of snapshots and professional pictures in the article for some great ideas. Together, we can create a great sequence of portraits for your little person as they head back this fall. However, you should schedule your professional session with us as soon as possible! We can get busy in the autumn.

Tips for Back to School Photos:

– Do not forget to charge your battery at least one day in advance! Ideally, you should charge it several days in advance to make sure everything is fully charged and ready to go on that hectic first day back to school. It’s not unusual to hear from a friend who thought the camera was charged only to turn it on that morning and find that it wasn’t!

– Plan out that morning ahead of time – and not just the night before! Start a few days ahead.

Clothing Selection

– Ask your young child to help you pre-select two outfits the night before. The next morning, they can select between those two outfits. Tip: You can be a bit sneaky by stacking the deck by allowing them access to clothes you know will work well together. No sense in wading through drawers of clothes only to have your jaw drop when your child pulls out mismatched pieces. Keep in mind: Their choices reflect their current tastes and, at least on camera, will create a memorable moment!

– If you’d like to have props, such as books or something denoting the grade or year, have it ready to go the night before. See a theme here? Everything should be ready the night before to save you time and frustration in the morning.

– Make sure your child is well-rested, not hungry, and excited about his first day back. All new clothes aren’t necessary each year, but one or two new pieces for that first day can sure be exciting to a child.

– Pictures of a teen? Good luck! Just kidding! It’s not that difficult; just make sure they know what’s coming. At the very least, be ready to get a great candid of your teen rolling their eyes at you or making that face you recognize so well when you’re asking them to do something they don’t want to do. On the first day back to high school, that’s likely going to be the pictures you so desperately want.

Call us if you live in or near the Sterling, VA or Potomac Falls, VA area! Back to school has always been a special day for making memories. Take advantage of this opportunity to shoot some memorable pictures and have us do your portrait photography to commemorate the occasion.

 

Family Photographer, Portrait Photography

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Potomac Falls, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
 
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
 
Best,
 
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
 
Professional Photographer

We are continuing our Photography Tips and Tricks series! As a portrait photography studio here in Potomac Falls, VA we specialize in fine art photography, but we love to share tips with our clients for their personal pictures/snapshots. Summer might be drawing to a close, but you still have some weeks of great weather and warm (warmish?) water! Have you thought of using your phone for underwater pictures?

Unless you’re a professional underwater photographer with a photography studio and specialty equipment, you’re not going to have a camera you can simply dive with; however, don’t let that stop you!

Here are five tips for taking great underwater pics using your phone!

Waterproof your phone!!

1. There are two ways to do this: The cheap way is to encase it in a plastic baggy that is tightly sealed. It’s an old photographer’s trick for unexpected rainfall when shooting outdoors. It’s not easy to get great shots when you’ve covered your lens in plastic, but it is possible with practice! The somewhat more expensive way to shoot underwater is to purchase a waterproof case for your phone. If you plan on buying a waterproof case, make sure you do thorough research. Try reading reviews in trade journals!

Shooting underwater

2. We have to admit that this is going to take some practice so don’t wait until you need to shoot the picture to shoot it! Practice makes perfect, so try it ahead of time. While it can be difficult to see a camera’s screen, that’s not your biggest hurdle. You won’t be able to use the shutter button on your phone’s screen when you’re underwater. Fear not! You can use the volume buttons or on/off side buttons to shoot. Read through your camera’s manual for alternate ways to shoot pictures without using the on-screen button.

Get used to the light

3. Shooting underwater significantly affects how natural light will be reflected. Practice by shooting underwater at different times of day and in different lighting conditions such as sunny or cloudy days. You might have to play with the angle from which you are shooting depending on the angle of the light – although it’s obviously going to come from above you! For example, in the morning and evenings, the light tends to cast more of a spotlight effect underwater.

Be ready to shoot!

4. You can’t always stage an underwater photo session, now can you? Be ready! If you’re going snorkeling, then take a few practice shots to be sure your ready and then anticipate the sudden appearance of the giant turtle or swordfish (certainly not hoping for a shark in this one)! Underwater photography is like most photography. Be ready to shoot when the perfect shot presents itself, and don’t forget to take lots of pictures. It’s digital after all, and you can always delete them later.

The color of the seas

5. Underwater shots will not have the same colors as being outside the water. That’s a given. So work with what nature offers you. Keep in mind that it can be difficult to get the skin color as accurate as it would appear above water. If you’re the type who prefers colors to be as precise as possible, then consider printing your pictures in black and white or sepia. The effect can be more dramatic, and you’ve resolved the issue of bluish skin tones. There are also some apps available for phones to help you correct phone pictures.

Whether or not you are one of our regular portrait photography studio clients here in the Potomac Falls, VA area, if you have any questions about your photography, call us! We’re happy to help you. Meanwhile, be certain to practice water safety during your underwater photography shots!

Other posts in this series:
Photography Tips & Tricks: Lighting tips for family snapshots
Photography Tips & Tricks: Get natural smiles from your kids!

 

Family Photographer, Portrait Photography Studio

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography studio team located in Potomac Falls, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
 
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
 
Best,
 
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
 
Professional Photographer

How are your photography skills these days? While we are your professional photographer for family photos in Lowes Island, VA and across Northern Virginia, we also know that you are probably taking lots of family snapshots! We’d love to offer a few tips for taking better pictures of your family especially if you’re using a nice camera, not just your phone.

Photography lighting can be tricky. It can require a lot of skill and experience to get it just right, but there are some things to keep in mind for everyday snapshots:

1. If you are the one in charge of the family photography and tend to shoot on auto, then try to take advantage of natural light. Early evening is ideal – just before dusk. The light is soft and not glaring into your subjects’ eyes.
2. If you can’t wait until dusk, then at least try to shoot in the shade. Be careful because a bright background while your subject stands in the shade can throw off your camera’s automatic light meter giving you darkness in front and light in the back. Opt for a larger shaded area or be prepared to use your flash to lighten the forefront.
3. Some photographers advise you to take pictures on overcast days while others say to avoid them. Cloudy days are better than sun angled into your subject’s eyes causing them to squint, but it can be tricky as well. If it’s cloudy, but so bright there are shadows cast across a subject’s face, then it’s likely too bright. Find some shade.
4. If you peer through your lens and can’t see light reflected in a subject’s eyes, you don’t have enough light. Use your flash. If possible, you always want light cast slightly to the side of a subject and at about 30 to 45 degrees from the camera.

We hope these few tips will help you with your everyday snapshots!

Obviously, you don’t need to struggle with lighting. You’re always welcome to call us, and we’ll be happy to do your family photos for you! If you’d like professional family photography in the Lowes Island, VA and surrounding area, call to schedule a family portrait session with us.
 

 

Family Photographer, Family Photos

Ever After Portraits is Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Lowes Island, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
 
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
 
Best,
 
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
 
Professional Photographer